It is no secret around Pittsburgh that Sidney Crosby has fallen on some hard times this season, especially after being snubbed from this year’s NHL All-Star roster. If the All-Star game’s new format did not require each team to be represented, there is a very real possibility Crosby would be on the roster, as he should be.
Statistically, Crosby has underwhelmed this season. There is no getting around that. Both Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang deserved their selections, but do names like Brandon Saad, who plays on a last place team, or John Scott, who has a staggering one point actually excite anyone?
If anything, this shows how much of a debacle NHL organizers have gotten themselves into with the All-Star game. Players like John Klingberg, Mike Cammalleri, and Evgeny Kuznetsov along with Crosby were all on the losing end of a selection format that truly deprives fans of a real All-Star experience to make sure every team is represented in a dying event.
The NHL All-Star game is meant to excite fans. In turn, it needs exciting players. Even on his worst nights, Crosby still invigorates fans any time he touches the puck. By comparison, Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks is currently tied with Crosby in points, but was selected with no hesitation.
Of course, Crosby does not have the greatest track record with attending All-Star games. A high ankle sprain in 2008 and a left knee bruise in 2009 kept him out. In 2010, Crosby played in the Olympics, but he was out in 2011 and 2012 because of concussion symptoms. In 2013, the lockout prevented an All-Star game from even taking place, and in 2014 Crosby played in the Olympics again.
Crosby’s infamous bail of last year’s game could be another reason he was snubbed from this year’s festivities as the league does not want to be embarrassed and leave fans disappointed. The captain may not deserve the spot this year purely based on statistics, but look at the numbers of Saad or Scott and ask if they deserved it too.
If the All-Star game’s purpose is meant to entertain fans, which it is, why would you not want to entertain the possibility of having a high energy, highly recognizable player to be invited? For all that Crosby has done not only for Pittsburgh, but the sport of hockey, it comes as a surprise that the league would nonchalantly pass on one of the few faces of their sport.
Who knows, with him catching fire and looking like his old self, he may have attended to stay loose. Regardless of how insignificant the game is to some, does the idea of seeing Crosby with Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom or John Tavares not leave you imagining the fun it would be to watch? Unfortunately, the NHL prevented fans from visualizing any such line combination.
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